Why Is Vanderbilt So Hot Right Now With DMV Families?

[Anonymous]

We were gossiping about upcoming college applications for next year's seniors, and so many kids want to apply to Vanderbilt. Does anyone have any clue why it has gained so much popularity and traction with families in this area?

[Anonymous]

Smart but attractive kids.

Have you been to many other top20 schools? They look like revenge of the super nerds.

(signed, parent with no affiliation with Vanderbilt).

[Anonymous]

It’s hot everywhere.
It’s the new Duke.
Beware of some of the social vibe if a girl though.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Smart but attractive kids.

Have you been to many other top20 schools? They look like revenge of the super nerds.

(signed, parent with no affiliation with Vanderbilt).

It is also considered an “acceptable” southern school, similar toto Duke. Most other southern schools are looked down on, even those with low acceptance rates.

[Anonymous]

Parent of current student from DC. Vanderbilt is not nearly as fun as DCUM says it is. No T20 school with the highest entry barriers is going to be fun. V. is very demanding once you’re in, just like Cornell or JHU or Duke. Really.

[Anonymous]

Great academics. Big time sports (though they tend to stink, not always). More social. Good weather. Nashville is a fun city. Less of the Trump-related drama than the Ivies.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Smart but attractive kids.

Have you been to many other top20 schools? They look like revenge of the super nerds.

(signed, parent with no affiliation with Vanderbilt).

It is also considered an “acceptable” southern school, similar toto Duke. Most other southern schools are looked down on, even those with low acceptance rates.

Emory and Rice and Davidson aren’t Vanderbilt but they are also popular with kids from up North

[Anonymous]

Traditionally, it has a thriving Greek Life scene, outgoing students, combined with strong academics. There's also SEC sports on campus.

ED1 to Vanderbilt has around a 30% admit rate. With college admissions becoming near-impossible for DMV families, I think a lot of people in this area have given up on the Ivies altogether and are looking for an escape-hatch early in the college admissions process.

[Anonymous]

I think with all the political drama at the Ivies right now, a lot of more culturally moderate families are looking at schools outside the northeast.

Jewish families, in particular, are outright banning their kids from even applying to schools like Columbia, Penn, and Harvard. Now, they're looking heavily at Vanderbilt, given their chancellor's committment to political diversity and punishing anti-Israel campus agitators.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think with all the political drama at the Ivies right now, a lot of more culturally moderate families are looking at schools outside the northeast.

Jewish families, in particular, are outright banning their kids from even applying to schools like Columbia, Penn, and Harvard. Now, they're looking heavily at Vanderbilt, given their chancellor's committment to political diversity and punishing anti-Israel campus agitators.

Same. And Duke which also has a LARGE jewish population.

[Anonymous]

And of course, it helps to be full pay.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Smart but attractive kids.

Have you been to many other top20 schools? They look like revenge of the super nerds.

(signed, parent with no affiliation with Vanderbilt).

It is also considered an “acceptable” southern school, similar toto Duke. Most other southern schools are looked down on, even those with low acceptance rates.

Emory and Rice and Davidson aren’t Vanderbilt but they are also popular with kids from up North

Those schools aren't social though, without the same vibrant social and sports life that Vanderbilt and Duke have.

I group Vanderbilt with Duke, Notre Dame, and, to a lesser extent, Stanford.
Northwestern was in the group too, a decade+ ago. No longer, though there are rumblings that they are revising metrics in the admissions office to admit more "Duke and Vandy-like" kids and fewer Cornell/Rice-type kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We were gossiping about upcoming college applications for next year's seniors, and so many kids want to apply to Vanderbilt. Does anyone have any clue why it has gained so much popularity and traction with families in this area?

It is? News to me.

[Anonymous]

It’s not

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It’s not

Sorry your kid didn't get in.